Why She Loves Him
by P.Rose205
Summary: Toph loves Sokka, has for a long time. Another companion piece to The Last.


**Why She Loves Him**

When Toph was twelve he was quick to grab her hand. She knew it was because she was blind, but he never made it seem like that was the reason. He was the one who'd sit by her on Appa and let her hold him because she was afraid, but he let on that was the reason.

She liked him, more than liked him, but he was fifteen and she was the little tomboy and he had Suki. She was just one of the guys to him anyway.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

When she was sixteen, Suki broke up with him. He was devastated. He said that he was through with women, except for her and Katara. Katara was his sister after all. Toph wondered what that made her. Was she still one of the guys or did he see as his sister? Either way it was not where she wanted to be.

He would still grab her hand and sit by her so that she could hold on to him. He never complained about how she would knead her fingers on his biceps. Maybe he chalked it up to her fear of being off the ground. Maybe he didn't mind because he still saw her as a little girl. Either way she hoped and prayed that he didn't feel the way her heart pounded when he was that close.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

When Toph was seventeen she and Sokka were the best of friends. He told her everything, she told him almost everything. After all, how could she tell him that she was in love with him?

Sokka had admitted to her that he was still in love with Suki and how he dreamt that one day she would come back to him, even though he knew the chances of that happening were slim.

Toph admitted to him that she was lonely. She had them as friends, but she wanted to know what it was like to have a boyfriend. Someone to love her like Aang did Katara.

"Aw Toph," he said "You'll find somebody that's man enough for you some day. Hell, I see guys hitting on you all the time, but you won't give them the time of day."

"Yeah, well they don't mean it. They either just want to be able to say they were the one to finally 'Bang the Beifong' or they're sissy ass social climbers who want to suck up to my folks. Nobody wants me, not really." she held her head down "I must really be a mess."

Sokka stretched his eyes at her "Are you kidding? I wish you could see yourself cause you're pretty hot."

"You don't have to say that Meathead."

"Toph, why would I lie to you? You're a human lie detector. I'm telling you, you're pretty and you've got a rockin' ass body." she laughed "Yeah, I knew you'd like that. But it's true. Somebody will come along someday who appreciate you for you."

"I guess. If you say so." she said. It was quiet for a minute then she said "Snoozles, can I ask you something, kind of a favor. You can say no if you want."

He leaned on the couch and rested his hands behind his head "Sure, you ask me anything."

"Well, I was curious, you know, about men's bodies and stuff." she squirmed as she felt him look across the room at her "You know?"

"I'm nodding." he said to let her know that he understood.

"So I was wondering." she felt her face get hot. She knew she must have been turning what everyone called red "If I could…you know…since we're buddies and all-"

"You want to touch my dick." he said as if it was an everyday occurrence.

Toph exhaled in relief "Yeah. Just to know what the big deal is. I would ask Twinkletoes, but your sister would kill me for thinking about it, and Zuko would just say 'no."

"Yep, I'm the cool friend." he said with a smirk on his face "Being the cool friend can get weird sometimes."

She held her head down "Yeah, it was a crazy question. Sorry I asked."

He stood up "Oh, I'm going to let you., I'm just saying it's a little bit of strange request." he held his hand out to her where she was sitting on the floor "Come on."

She reached up for his hand "Where are we going?" she asked as he pulled her up.

"To the room. It would be weird for somebody to come home and catch you checking out my junk."

They walked down the hall to the room that Sokka and Aang shared in the Ba Sing Se apartment the four of them lived in. Toph did not hear the light go on, but she did hear the rustling of Sokka's pants hitting the floor "Okay, give me your hand." he said reaching out.

She put her hand in his and he wrapped it around his flaccid member. Toph was less than impressed "Hey Sokka, not trying to hurt your feelings, but I don't see what all the fuss is abo-" then his penis pulsed in her hand "What the hell?" Toph said as she started to pull away, but Sokka wrapped his hand around hers.

"Nope, you wanna know, so I'm giving you the whole story. Just wait."

Toph stood there fascinated as Sokka hardened and grew in her hand. She slid it from the base to the tip and slowly and brushed her thumb across it. "Hey, hey, hey. Don't get me feeling too good. I'm already going to have to handle this when you're done exploring, I don't need you to give me blue balls too."

"Oh, sorry." she said remembering a conversation she'd overheard between Aang and Katara explaining that particular male issue.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

When Toph was eighteen Zuko and Suki came clean about their relationship and Sokka lost control. She was glad she couldn't see him because if he looked half as ferocious as he sounded then he must have been terrifying.

After that Sokka didn't care anymore. He sought satisfaction with whatever woman would give it to him, and there were plenty. For the first six months he went overboard. This was not the Sokka that Toph had grown to love.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

When Toph was twenty three her life changed. One of her old students came back into her life. She had not seen Moo-Chee-Goo-Chee-La-Poo-Chee the Third since she was fifteen. Time had been good to him. He was taller, still thin, but lightly muscled, and he had grown into a first rate metal bender. She agreed to go on a date with him because his request had been sincere. All through the night his words were honest. He did not try to use flattery to get to her. Everything he said was from the heart and she loved it.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

When she was twenty five Toph and Moo Chee got married. She loved him. She was not in love with him, but she loved him enough that when he proposed she accepted. He was kind and every time he said he loved her she knew that he meant it.

Moo Chee was caring and he touched her in ways no one ever had, both emotionally and physically. She felt he was her best chance for happiness.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

On her thirty second birthday Toph realized she was pregnant and she was scared out of her mind. She didn't know what to do. She and her husband had both said they were not interested in having children.

As the days passed and the tiny heartbeat inside her grew stronger the fear was replaced by an unfathomable love. She told Katara first. Katara had two children and one on the way. She knew that she would understand.

Then she told her husband, Moo Chee was a bit monotone about the situation, but one look at the grin on her face and he told her he was happy.

Next up were Aang and Sokka. The Avatar was so shocked that he grabbed her and hugged her tight. "Get off of me Twinkletoes." she said as she shoved him away "It's not like I'm the first woman to get knocked up."

He laughed "Yeah, well, this is special. Who would've thought that you would be somebody's mother? Am I right Sokka?"

Sokka was silent for a moment then he said "Oh, yeah. Who would've thought."

Toph landed her hands on her hips "Well don't he happy for me or anything Snoozles."

Sokka forced a smile and went over to hug her. Toph felt that something in Sokka's hug was not right. It felt sad, almost sorrowful. She wanted to say something to him about it, but something in her heart wouldn't let her.

A few months later her world came crashing in. She received a letter from her parents saying that she could not raise her baby and they wanted to take the child and raise it. What made matters worse was the fact that her husband agreed.

After a blow up at Katara and Aang's house Toph knew her marriage was over. Her husband was gone and he had made it clear that he was not coming back.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

While Toph was in labor something happened that she had given up on years before, Sokka confessed his love for her. It just flew out of his mouth as if he'd been holding it forever. Toph didn't have times to process it. The second he said those words her baby decided to make her entrance into the world.

Toph was more tired than she's ever been in her life. It had been a long hard labor, but the second Katara put that tiny girl in her arms it was all worth it.

As she was questioning Aang and Katara about what her baby looked like she heard Sokka leave, then Aang. "Where are they going?" she asked

"I don't know," Katara replied "You know Sokka, maybe the moment isn't manly enough for him." she said as she started gathering laundry "So, do you have a name for her?"

"Yeah." Toph smiled "its Lin."

"That's perfect" Katara said as she started to the door "I'll be back in a little bit."

"Okay," Toph answered with a smile "and could you tell your brother to get his ass in here."

When Katara closed the door Toph turned her attention to the baby "Well little Lin, I've got love all over. I've got you, and Sokka said…well, I guess you heard what Sokka said. His timing stinks."

Then he stuck his head in the door. She called him in and they chatted about Lin, the entire time his confession echoing in her head - _I'd do anything for you Toph, because I love you._

Silence came over them for a while and then she said "You know, I heard what you said…before I mean."

She felt his heart race, then his voice shook "You heard that?"

She laughed on the inside "Yes, I did."

"I didn't mean for it to come out, at least not like that, and not now. My timing stinks."

She agreed with him while laughing at the irony, then she asked him to take baby Lin to the cradle in the corner of the room. As she placed her precious bundle in his arms she felt his heart race. It made her heart skip a beat. She's felt a heart race like that before, Aang's when his children were newborns.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Even though Ty Lee was there Sokka practically moved into Toph's house to help her with the baby. He slept in the armchair next to Lin's crib for months, he and Toph both too in their heads to take the next move. Finally, one night when Lin was eight months old, she invited him to sleep in her bed instead of in that chair.

That was the spark they needed. They unleashed years of pent up feelings and passion on each other. There were no words that night besides breathless utterances of each other's names spoken into sweat dampened skin.

The next morning after sending Ty Lee and Lin off for a day on Air Temple Island, they talked about them. The first discussion ended in Toph finally telling Sokka she loved him followed by more entangled limbs.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

At thirty five Toph was extremely content with her life. Her career was soaring. She had the most wonderful, perfect baby girl, good friends to help her raise Lin and a man who loved her and her daughter unconditionally, one who she loved with all her heart.

Sokka came in one day in his usual cheerful mood "Lin! Babygirl, I've got something for you." he called out as he shook the little figure in his hand.

"That had better not be another toy." Toph called from the kitchen "I told you she has more than enough toys."

"Aw, come on Toph. She's only a kid for so long, quit being a killjoy."

"That's my point. She's only a kid for a little while. If you constantly buy her toys she'll never play with them all. And you're spoiling her."

Sokka stepped into the kitchen and crossed his arms as he leaned against the doorway. He scoffed "You're just mad because I'm her first word."

She turned her head to him "No 'Kaka' is her first word. You know in some languages that means shit. If you're proud to be called shit then that's fine with me."

He laughed "She's saying 'Sokka and you know it. So where is she anyway?"

"Katara came and got her for the night."

He smiled "Oh yeah? And Ty Lee's still on Kyoshi Island?"

"For two more days." she said, smiling up at him from the table.

"Good, I'm going to take a nap." he joked pretending to turn to leave.

"Yeah, that's what you do." she threatened half heartedly.

"And what are you going to do if I do take a nap?" he asked in a challenging tone.

"I'm going to wake your ass up!" she said, raising her voice.

"You better not!"

"Oh yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

Sokka smiled as he turned and walked towards Toph's massive bed "I'm going to sleep and you'd better not bother me."

"I do what I want Meathead!" she yelled back, grinning.

He answered her by jumping into the bed and pretending to snore loudly. Toph shook her head and laughed as she headed down the hall. She stood in the doorway and he continued to pretend to snore. She laughed and said "okay, you wanna play, let's play."

She ran and took a flying leap. He caught her in his arms and they both started laughing. She slapped him lightly across the face "Don't you come here talking that shit."

He squeezed her tight, "Yeah girl. You know what I like. Do it again."

She tapped him across his face again with a laugh "You damn freak."

He smoothed his nose across her cheek and said "You like this freak." into her neck as he pulled the ribbon out of her hair.

She shivered as his breath danced across her neck and her hair fell down her back "Say one for me." she sighed as his rough hand caressed her back.

"Strong like a boulder.

Only I know her true self.

She yields to my love."

Toph kissed Sokka on his jaw "That's a new one."

"Yeah, I was thinking about you all day today."

"I like it." she said with lowered lids and a small smile "So, this yielding, what's that all about." she asked barely brushing his lips.

"This." he said, then he lifted his head to press his lips to hers. As one hand loosened her bra the other slid down the back of her pants and gripped the lace beneath.

Toph hummed into her love's kiss as she listened to his calloused hand slide up the lace, then he dipped under it. She moaned lightly as he reached between her legs and dipped a finger inside her.

"You were waiting for me." Sokka smirked as he pulled his lips away from hers and went to her neck.

"Yeah." she said as she rolled him on top of her.

As they kissed, stroked and undressed each other she thought about how much she loved this man. He'd instantly accepted her daughter as his own. He never tried to tell her to be more demure or lady-like. Sokka loved Toph for exactly who she was and he was man enough to not be intimidated by her being a strong woman.

Sokka was also not a pushover. He didn't mind telling anyone what he thought and he stood up for what was right. Most of all, he was fiercely protective of those he loved.

The councilman was tough when he needed to be and tender when it was time. He recited haikus for her and whispered sweet nothings to her. He made her feel loved, wanted, sexy.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

She lowered herself on him and they moved together. A low growl rumbled in his throat as she rolled her hips and pressed her breast against him. Toph loved that sound. She rolled and pumped on him more to hear the sound deepen.

The more she glided up and down his length, the more he thrust back gripping and massaging her rear. Toph moaned into his neck with every thrust.

"Oh shit Toph. You feel so good." he said as he moved his hands up to her waist so that he could take a little more control. That's when she knew she was pushing him over the edge. "Shit." he said again in a harsh, drawn out whisper.

As she felt the pressure build up in her body she gripped one hand around his wolf's tail and the other on the pillow under his head. "Uhhhh, Sokka." she whimpered out as she tugged on his hair and squeezed the pillow tighter "Sokka, right there."

That did it. He gripped her waist and pumped up into her, pulsing as he released. She screamed out as his moans were muffled into her neck.

Another thrust and she pressed down on him crying out louder as her own orgasm overcame her.

They laid there for a while, their chest heaving against each other, his fingertips resting lazily on her hips, her hand still loosely wrapped around his hair. Finally Sokka said "Damn girl. We need to be alone more often."


End file.
